I’m not a football fan. At this point in my life, I don’t think it’s going to change. I’m occasionally somewhat nasty or worse about it, but skip that here because in the U.S., if there’s a get together on any Sunday afternoon in January or early February, it’s likely to involve football. Hmm. The Super Bowl (February 13, 2022–6:30 pm ET) is coming like a freight train barreling down the track to your family room as well as to your kitchen and mine. So just to get my two cents in, I usually make a concerted effort to at least add something tasty and even healthy to the game day food lineup. This year, it’s an addictive, pantry-centric southwestern black bean dip that’s perfect with a cold beer at kickoff or even for dinner some other time. (Why can’t we have dip for dinner? I think we can. I’ll write you a note.)
Continue readingTortilla Chips
Colorado Bean Dip for Memorial Day

In 2020, our ubiquitous all-American cookouts — which roar on ad infinitum Mother’s Day through Labor Day — were often a tad sad little affairs if we had them at all. Instead of the jumbo party packs of burgers and brats, unending veggie or cheese trays, boxes of big cupcakes, and the super-sized bag of red, white, and blue paper napkins to last all summer long, we were buying a single pound of ground beef, 4 buns, a pint of vanilla, and left the colored napkins on the shelf. Fireworks, if available on the 4th, were viewed from apartment building balconies or hillside decks. We were masked and our celebrations felt the same.
Continue readingLemon Split Pea Soup with Peppered Sour Cream
Split pea is an old love, but I never make it the same way twice. What’s cool about this version is a. the lick of lemon up against the spicy notes and b. texture layers– i.e. crunchy, seedy tortilla chips and smooth sour cream on top of the soup, which is about halfway pureed.
Legume soups are healthy and inexpensive, but I’m mostly drawn to them because they’re tasty, homey, and filling. I adore the look, smell, and feel of a big pot of bean soup bubbling away on the stove nearly anytime. Split pea is about the quickest in the group, though lentils are right up there.
About an hour, especially if you use the food processor for chopping, you’ve got super soup. I’ve made them while camping, using a Coleman stove. They’re so simple and accepting of different ingredients that as long as you have the dried beans in the pantry and a few staples like onions, carrots, and celery, you’ve got soup. Add-ins might be zucchini, jalapeno, or leftover asparagus; toppings might be minced cucumber or grated Parmesan or oyster crackers. A bit of crunchy bacon on top could replace ham hocks or chopped ham in the soup. No meat at all, made with vegetable stock, and it’s great for a vegan meal. Versatile is the word for these soups. Make a big pot, freeze individual portions (Tupperware makes freezer-microwave safe containers), and you have lunch.
The day I made this, I called a friend at 10 and said, “Come for lunch at 12.” I started the soup at 11 and, well, it was a good thing she was a little late. I was still pureeing at 12:10, but that might have been because I was doing ten other things in the middle… Honest, it’s pretty quick for soup. I think Dave ate nearly three bowls and the friend two. While not in the habit of wine at lunch except while on vacation or for tasting, we did each have a half-glass of California Chardonnay with this and thought it a fine sip. I think, with the heat in this soup (and I like several sorts of heat at once), an off-dry Oregon or German Riesling would be a good match as well. Try this:
lemon split pea soup with peppered sour cream
8 servings
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 small red potatoes chopped (with peel)
-
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- 2 cups dried split peas
- 1 cup chopped ham
- 1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, marjoram, crushed red pepper
- 1 quart each vegetable and chicken stock
- 2 cups water or 1 cup water and 1 cup white wine
- 4-6 drops hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (added near end)
Toppings: 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt mixed with freshly ground black pepper
Tortilla chips with seeds
In an 8-qt stockpot, heat oil over medium heat and add celery, onion, carrots, and potatoes. Sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring, five minutes or so. Add everything else except the lemon juice, including a teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stir and raise heat to high. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer. Cook until peas and vegetables are tender, about an hour. Add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasonings. Puree using an immersion blender or in batches in the food processor. If you’d like a chunkier soup, leave it as is or crush briefly with a potato masher. Serve hot with seeded tortilla chips and a dollop of peppered sour cream for toppings.
{printable recipe}
Cook’s Note: If you’d like a crock-pot version, try this on my Dinner Place blog (Cooking for One.) I did say I liked to make split pea soup.
Sing a new song,
Alyce
50 Women Game-Changers – # 45 – Diana Kennedy- Fresh Salsa Mexicana from Jerez
Wake up and smell the salsa.
This is not salsa made in New York City.
Nor in San Antonio.
This salsa is made in your house. On your cutting board.
And not in your Cuisinart.
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“I’m a very active person,” she said. “I want to spend the rest of my days doing what I know best and that’s identifying what people are using in the culture.” Read more |
- 1 poblano chile—stems, seeds, and veins removed and flesh finely chopped
- 1 red jalapeño chile—stems, seeds, and veins removed and flesh finely chopped
- 2 yellow chiles—stems, seeds and veins removed and flesh finely chopped *
- 2 serrano chiles, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
- 1 ripe medium tomato (about 4 ounces), finely chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
- Salt
Recipe courtesy FOOD & WINE.
I just loved the colors and intrinsic beauty of the ingredients and kept taking photographs of the greens and the reds….
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Eggs traded for cookies with a St. Paul pianist who has a backyard full of chickens.
Please take some time and visit more of our great food bloggers: Val – More Than Burnt Toast, Taryn – Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan – The Spice Garden If you liked this, you might like Boiled Eggs on English Muffins with Asparagus and Cheese Sauce on my Dinner Place blog: Cooking for One – It’s Fun! |